The present invention relates generally to brackets. More particularly, it pertains to brackets for the interface of printed circuit boards.
For personal computers, an external interface between the internal printed circuit board and the user is required, examples of which include enhanced video adapter cards and network adapter cards. The interface bracket assists in securing the printed circuit board to the computer housing, and is coupled with the printed circuit board prior to shipment to a customer. It is desirable to position and assemble components, such as the interface bracket and the printed circuit board, within the computer chassis such that they are easily removable by and easily disassembled/reassembled by a user or technician, for example, for repair or replacement. In addition, the interface bracket assists in providing mechanical integrity between the add-in card and the mother board. The interface bracket further aids in creating an electrical seal between the computer chassis and the add-in card, as required by industry standards for EMI (Electromagnetic Interference), RFI (Radio Frequency Interference), and ESD (Electrostatic Discharge). Industry standards such as ISA (Industry Standard Architecture), PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), and EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) further require certain geometries between the add-in cards and the bracket.
Typically, the printed circuit board is secured to the interface bracket using threaded fasteners or rivets that are inserted through the printed circuit board and into the bracket. This method has several drawbacks, such as, when the printed circuit board is removed, the screws are occasionally misplaced or the rivets and the bracket are permanently deformed. In addition, if all of the screws are not used to attach the printed circuit board to the bracket, the printed circuit board may not be secure, resulting in vibration of the printed circuit board, potentially causing damage to the components thereon. Other disadvantages of these methods include assembly labor cost, piece part cost, inconsistencies in the relationship of the bracket to the printed circuit board, potential variance in the electrical continuity between the bracket and the printed circuit board, and mechanical reliability of the components.
Accordingly, what is needed is a bracket which overcomes these disadvantages and ensures consistent mechanical geometry between the bracket and the printed circuit board. What is further needed is a bracket which is easy to remove and install, and minimizes the costs of procurement and assembly.
A bracket is adapted for assembling a printed circuit board thereto and is adapted for retaining the printed circuit board. The bracket securely retains the printed circuit board without the need of additional fasteners or other hardware. In one embodiment, the bracket includes an assembly tab, which has a shoulder portion and a flexible portion, where the flexible portion extends to a rounded distal tip. The shoulder portion protects the edge of the circuit board as the flexible portion is formed over the printed circuit board. The distal tip of the assembly tab is adapted for coupling with coupling features of a printed circuit board. The bracket further includes a support flange adapted to couple with a printed circuit board, and an outer flange which is adjacent to the support bracket. The bracket also includes coupling features, such as a first and/or a second set of apertures disposed on the support flange.
In another embodiment, a bracket assembly is provided which securely retains a printed circuit board to a bracket without the need of additional fasteners or hardware. The bracket assembly includes a bracket and a printed circuit board. The bracket includes an assembly tab, which has a shoulder portion and a flexible portion, where the flexible portion extends to a distal tip. The shoulder portion protects the edge of the circuit board as the flexible portion is formed over the printed circuit board. The distal tip of the assembly tab is adapted for coupling with coupling features of a printed circuit board. The bracket further includes a support bracket adapted to couple with a printed circuit board, and an outer bracket which is adjacent to the support bracket.
In yet another embodiment, a bracket assembly and system is provided for use in a computer system, which includes a printed circuit board coupled therewith. The bracket assembly is adapted to allow for easy assembly of the printed circuit board therewith. A computer chassis encompasses a bracket assembly, which includes a bracket and a printed circuit board. The bracket includes an assembly tab, which has a shoulder portion and a flexible portion, where the flexible portion extends to a distal tip. The shoulder portion protects the edge of the circuit board as the flexible portion is formed over the printed circuit board. The distal tip of the assembly tab is adapted for coupling with coupling features of a printed circuit board. The bracket further includes a support bracket which adapted to couple with a printed circuit board, and an outer bracket which is adjacent to the support bracket.